A Federal High Court in Lokoja on Friday set aside an earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.
Justice Isah Dashen held that the initial judgment — delivered on December 10, 2025 — was constitutionally defective because interested parties were not heard. He said that omission rendered the decision null and void and ordered the status quo restored to what it was before the December ruling pending a fresh hearing of the substantive suit.
The court upheld an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), finding that the PMP was a necessary party to the matter. Justice Dashen also found that certain material facts had been suppressed during the earlier proceedings, a factor that influenced his decision to vacate the judgment.
Counsel to the PMP, Chikezie Ekeocha, told journalists that the PMP went to court after discovering the NDC’s registration relied on a logo the PMP had previously submitted to INEC before the suit began. He said the court agreed that the PMP’s rights had been affected and therefore vacated the earlier order.
Ekeocha said the effect of the ruling is that all actions taken by INEC under the vacated judgment — including recognition of the NDC, issuance of any certificate of registration, inclusion of the party in INEC’s records, and any appearance on ballot papers tied to that order — are reversed pending final determination of the substantive case.
He stressed that the substantive suit remains before the court and has not been decided, and that the court directed the claimants to join all necessary parties so the dispute can be fully and fairly determined.
The matter will be reheard with INEC, the PMP and the NDC joined as parties.
